Alfa Romeo Giulia

Alfa Romeo has finally launched the long-awaited successor to the 159. The brand that has languished and seen plummeting sales over the last fifteen years aims to revive the glory of its heydays with the all-new Giulia. As of now, Alfa Romeo launched the Giulia Quadrifoglio only, the top-of-the-range version capable of some mind-blowing numbers: it features the 510 hp six-cylinder 2.9 turbo petrol engine developed by Ferrari engineers with a top speed of 307 km/h and capable of an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds, a peak torque of 600 Nm, while it should brake from 100 km/h back to 0 in less than 32 metres. Alfa Romeo claims best in class emission levels, with 198 g/km of CO2, while its dry weight is just 1,524 kg. Sales of the Giulia Quadrifoglio will start during the last quarter of 2015, with prices starting at about 79,000 Euro in Italy.

The midsized segment has been in crisis for a decade now, but the sales decline seems to bottom out, with sales down “only” 5% after the first three quarters of 2014, to just over 400.000 units. With the new generations VW Passat and Ford Mondeo ready to start their customer deliveries, and the Peugeot 508 recently facelifted, the segment should be able to return to positive territory for only the second time since 2001. The VW Passat remains stable and increases its share of the segment to 28,8%, and that’s even without the new generation, which has only just entered European showrooms and should start customer deliveries anytime now.

The top-4 are the only models in the segment to increase their sales and now control almost two thirds of the segment, indicating a further defragmentation of the market. The Honda Accord is the latest victim of this increased monotony in the midsized car segment, as it won’t be replaced at the end of its life cycle, joining the Suzuki Kizashi, Seat Exeo, Chevrolet Malibu on their way to the happy hunting grounds. [Read more…]

European sales in the midsized segment have declined further in the second quarter of 2014 to show a loss of 5% over the first half. The Volkswagen Passat shows a smaller decline than the overall segment, even though its new generation has already been introduced to the press and will hit showrooms in the last quarter of this year.

Of only five models increasing their sales on last year, the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia is the fastest growing with sales up over one third thanks to a facelift and modernized engines. The second fastest gainer is the Skoda Superb, which also has been updated recently, and which could repeat the remarkable performance of its smaller sibling Skoda in the compact segment by ending the year on the podium of the midsize segment. It’s already leapfrogged the Peugeot 508 into fourth position and has its sights set on the Ford Mondeo.

Belgian production of the current generation Mondeo has already ended in July. After the summer break, Ford will start production of the new generation Mondeo in Spain, but that model won’t hit showrooms until December, leaving it vulnerable to be passed by the Skoda Superb. [Read more…]

Sales of midsized cars in Europe are down slightly again in the first quarter of 2014, after declining already 22% in the full year 2013. No change at the top, with the Volkswagen Passat still firm in the lead, although no longer selling twice as much as the number two of the segment.

In fact, the new generation Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, helped by more fuel efficient engines, is the second fastest improving model of the segment, right behind the venerable Ford Mondeo. The outgoing Mondeo is in sell-out mode to prepare for the arrival of the new generation, at last. That model has been on sale in the United States as the Ford Fusion since 2012, but the European market introduction was delayed due to the closure of the Ford Factory in Gent, Belgium and the subsequent migration of the production to Valencia in Spain. [Read more…]

Ferrari California T

Ferrari launched the California back in 2008. 5,5 years after its debut, Ferrari refreshes the California with new sheet metal and replaces the normally aspirated 4.3-liter V8 by a 3.8-liter V8 biturbo engine with 560 hp (up from 490 hp), which was launched initially in the Maserati Quattroporte. The CO2 emissions have dropped by 15% to 250 g/km.

Fiat Panda Cross

The second generation Fiat Panda Cross is based on the Panda Climbing 4X4. Fiat sold approximately 30,000 units of the previous Panda Cross, mostly in Italy and the Alpine countries. Fiat offers two engines: the 0.9 TwinAir Turbo petrol engine with 90 hp (CO2 emissions 114 g/km) and a 1.3 MultiJet II diesel engine with 80 hp (CO2 emissions 125 g/km). The latter one has a ground clearance of 16 cm, while the TwinAir has 15 cm. The approach and departure angles have improved compared to the first generation Panda Cross. The front end features new light clusters, front and rear bumpers, wheel arch extensions, side mouldings, new roof bars and 15-inch alloy wheels with all-season tyres. The interior features a new dashboard finish with copper fascia. [Read more…]

The midsize segment in Europe as a whole saw a sharp decline of 22% in 2013, as a result of a clear shift towards premium models in this segment. In fact, if we would combine the premium midsize with this segment, BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-class would hold the 1st, 3rd and 4th place of the combined segment respectively. However, the premium midsized models have not been spared in 2013, as their segment declined as well, although slower than their non-premium rivals, at -8%.

Only one midsized car has been able to sell more units in 2013 than in 2012, the Mazda6 has its new generation to thank for that. All other models show double digit declines, leaving the segment ranking relatively stable. No changes at the top, where the Volkswagen Passat is still by far the leader, selling more than twice as many cars as the number two of the segment, just like the Golf does in the compact segment.

The smallest declines in the top 5 are from models that have been facelifted in 2013, the Skoda Superb and the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia. The latter is most popular in the UK, as almost 37% of all Insignia’s are sold with a Vauxhall badge. [Read more…]

The midsize segment in Europe as a whole saw a sharp decline of 26% in the first three quarters of 2013 compared to the same period last year. This is a result of a clear shift towards premium models in this segment. In fact, if we would combine the premium midsize with this segment, BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-class would hold the 1st, 3rd and 4th place of the combined segment respectively.

Segment leader Passat has increased its market share slightly, as sales are off just under the segment average at -22%, as does its stretched-but-cheaper sister Skoda Superb (-21%), moving up to 5th place, passing Toyota Avensis (-39%). Biggest losers in the top 10 are Opel Insignia (-31%), Peugeot 508 (also -31%), Ford Mondeo (-34%), Toyota Avensis (-39%), which desperately needs a hybrid powertrain in order to stay competitive against the diesels, and Citroën C5 (-34%), suffering the most from the shift towards premium. It leaves you wondering how profitable Insignia and Mondeo must be, with sales divided between no less than three different body styles (sedan, liftback and station wagon), where all others make do with two and keeping in mind sales in this segment are traditionally skewed towards station wagons anyways. [Read more…]